When native Ghanaian drummer Saeed Abbas plays his drum the sound goes deeper than the 27 years he’s been playing. His talent is rooted in the history of Ghana, the West African country on the Ivory Coast that at one time struggled for independence and won.
Like his country, Abbas struggled to be free to do what he was meant to do.
Now Abbas brings the sounds of his homeland to the island. He will play with the GyE NyamE Ensemble to showcase the music and dances of Ghana at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10.
The performance is billed as “a joyful performance of songs from Africa” which can be enjoyed by all ages. And judging from the heartfelt way that Abbas talks about his life in music, there will be plenty of Ivory Coast joy and probably more than a dash of tropical musical heat.
Growing up in Ghana, Abbas started playing the “talking drum” at a very early age. The talking drum is a West African instrument whose pitch can be regulated so that it is said the drum “talks.”
The player puts the drum under one shoulder and beats the instrument with a stick. The player raises or lowers the pitch by squeezing or releasing the drum’s strings with the upper arm. The technique can produce highly informative sounds to convey complicated messages, and the ability to change the drum’s pitch is analogous to the language tonality of some African languages. Ghana alone, for example, boasts 79 languages.
Abbas’ talking drum was made out of tin cans, clay rocks and paper; materials that were available to a young boy who knew he was born to be a musician.
Abbas’ dreams came true when his talents were noticed while he was teaching music for the Ghanaian public school system.
A man from the National Dance Ensemble — a major dance company of Ghana — asked Abbas to interview for the company. He was accepted as one of three from 300 candidates and began a journey that took him all over the world performing, teaching and studying many forms of music. Abbas grew to excel as both a drummer and a flute player.
During his travels with the national dance group Abbas played for a number of celebrity audiences, including several performances for Bill and Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair while the prime minister was visiting Mexico City and more than once for the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace.
“I made the Queen dance,” said Abbas’, as he swiveled his shoulders ever-so-slightly, demonstrating just how wild the Queen of England could be.
After a five-year stint with the dance company, Abbas settled in London where he recorded a CD with Brekete, a traditional African group from Ghana.
Eventually he ventured to Portland, Ore. where he performed and recorded music with other Ghanaian and American musicians such as Obo Addy and White Rhino. He also kept busy teaching in schools from the elementary to the university levels.
He eventually made his home on Whidbey Island three years ago and has since recorded music here at Sound Trap Studios in Freeland where he met Wade Wilcox, another drummer who will perform with Abbas next Saturday night.
Abbas’ main goal is to pursue a career in performance and teaching, with a sincere ambition to bring the culture of his homeland to as many people as possible.
He stressed that playing music for him is the ultimate satisfaction.
“Every time I play my music I have fun,” Abbas said.
He is very determined to provide those interested in learning how to play the drum or the flute with the best he can give; to give back the richness of what he has been blessed with from Ghana. Abbas is willing to travel all over the region to perform and teach.
“I want to do it. I want to make it,” Abbas said. “I want to go very far.”
People interested in lessons or a performance from Abbas can call 360-632-5074.
The Saturday evening performance opens with “Titambe Marimba,” a Whidbey Island band who perform traditional and contemporary Zimbabwean music on marimbas, mbiras, hosho, drums and vocals.
Saeed Abbas and the GyE NambE Ensemble will also host an African dance workshop with live music from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at Bayview Hall in Langley. All ages and levels are welcome and tickets are $25 ($15 with a stub from the WICA performance).
Call WICA at 221-8268 or go to www.WICAonline.com for tickets and information.
Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com.
